Eating alfresco with a toddler
Tin Box Tot’s nursery always tells me what a great eater she is. But to be honest, meal times can be a bit hit and miss at home.
Some days she’ll clear her plate and others she’ll hardly touch the food she’s presented with. I’ve never been too concerned as she’s a very healthy little girl and I think if you fuss too much you can make the situation worse. The same approach has worked for us with bumps and scrapes – the Tot usually picks herself up and dusts herself off without much drama.
This week the sunny weather has inspired us to take our lunches into the garden for picnics. Tin Box Tot has been really enthusiastic about eating alfresco. She’s loved setting up the picnic blanket, taking boxes of food out of our picnic hamper and selecting bites to eat. Please excuse my budget Tupperwear!
To my surprise she’s even munched on foods that nursery have always insisted she eats but I’ve never had success with at home. Cucumber, apple and sausage rolls were all scoffed.
Maybe it was the novelty of being outdoors or the excitement of opening each box to see what finger food was inside that made the difference? I’m going to have to pay more attention when we are next away in the caravan as I have a feeling she eats better there as well.
Have you found your little ones eat more and try new things in different situations?
Get a bunch of kids together and they chow down like there's no tomorrow 🙂
Indoor picnics are a great idea – bring the outdoors in! I think we'll try that the next time it rains 🙂
Everyone enjoys a change of scenery. Hope you get to have a picnic soon x
Yes, distractions like a play park or animals really don't help with eating. But sit a bunch of kids down together and they wolf down their food x
Absolutely. I am exactly the same. Sandwiches alone just don't cut it for a picnic. Bring on fun foods 🙂
Thanks. I need to start thinking of new foods to try when we are picnicking 🙂
Yep! Long live the summer 🙂
We love a BBQ too. Sausages are the Tot's favourite 🙂
Fun food is good food 🙂
Oliver is a terrible eater but I have found us all eating together helps as well as on play dates when he can see his little friends eating well. Your little one looks like she's having a fab time 🙂 xx
Picnics and eating anywhere but the table always result in more food being eaten. Leo loves a teddy bears picnic on the living room floor, this was how I got him to try carrot sticks for the first time!Great idea giving your little one the boxes to open herself xx #maternitymondays
Oh yes. I think they are so consumed looking at different situations that they don't notice what they eat as much. At the normal table they just focus on the food. *makes a note to gave a picnic 🙂
I definitely think different situations help or hinder eating! If we at a place with too much excitement can completely stop it! However if other little ones are all eating together it helps xxx #maternitymondays
To be honest, even I find myself being a bit more adventurous with food when I'm eating alfresco! It's definitely a good tactic to get the Tot to eat different things though! Whatever works, right? 🙂 #mummymonday
I have an erratically eating girl too – picnics can be great fir getting her to taste new things though. I love the idea of opening the boxes to encourage. #countrykids
There's something special about picnics they can't help but eat. She looks very happy x
Eating outside on a sunny day is a must, it's great that Tin Box Tot seems to have a better appetite when she's eating alfresco. It's great that you've got an extra excuse for alfresco eating now, who doesn't like eating in the sunshine. Thanks for linking up with me on Country Kids.
It's lovely to be outside and eat Alfresco! We're big fans of picnics and BBQs and I tend to eat better when I'm not stuck in my high chair! x #CountryKids